<b>Keyport</b>

From <b>Papa’s Angels Charters</b>, Capt. Joe would like to be ready to fish by mid-April, he said. Last week, when weather was still cold, he had been waiting for the weather to break to prep the boat for the coming fishing season. Weather now warmed somewhat. The first trips will fish for striped bass, clamming for them, wherever the fish hold. During the past few years, the year’s first were found in the bay close to port aboard.  Charters will fish, and open-boat trips will be available twice daily, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m., when no charter is booked, like every spring.

The boat is just about ready to be splashed, Capt. Frank from the <b>Vitamin Sea</b> wrote in an email. Charters will fish, and the season’s first open-boat trips are set to sail Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, for striped bass and winter flounder.  Like the Vitamin Sea’s Facebook page for real-time reports and open-boat dates. “Get your dose of Vitamin Sea!”

<b>Atlantic Highlands</b>

A few more customers fished this weekend than previously this year, and a few striped bass landed from the bay’s shore were heard about, said Jimmy from <b>Julian’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Shallows in the bay like that are typically some of the first places catches are made each year, because of warmer waters. Waters were cold, including because of snow runoff from upstream in rivers. Plenty of snow covered grounds farther north, like a foot in Suffolk County in New York.  Worms and clams are stocked. 

<b>Highlands</b>

Waters were very cold, and nothing was really heard about fishing, said Capt. Derek from <b>Fisher Price Charters</b>. The ocean was 38 degrees, and Raritan Bay was probably 36 or 37. Though weather became somewhat warmer, local waters become chilled from melted snow and ice runoff from all the rivers that flow into the bay then the ocean. But dates are starting to book up for spring striped bass charters, and if anglers want to fish on the trips, now is the time to reserve them. Open-boat trips will also sail, like every year, and Derek expects to begin fishing by April 1. At first, trips will sail for striped bass. But if anglers want to bottom-fish at first, trips will. Dates are also booking up for fluke and even for offshore sharks and tuna later in the fishing season.

<b>Neptune</b>

Capt. Ralph from <b>Last Lady Fishing Charters</b> won’t try to fish again until late March or early April, he said. Too many dog sharks bit in the cold ocean on the most recent trip aboard this winter, sailing for cod and ling. So he’ll wait for the water temperature to inch up. The boat will probably next fish on individual-reservation trips for cod and ling.

<b>Belmar</b>

The boat and tackle is being worked on for the coming fishing season, Capt. Mike from the <b>Katie H</b> said. Everything will be ready to fish for striped bass on the ocean, the year’s first fishing aboard. He hopes that’ll begin in April, and stripers showed up in May in recent years, but any given year can be different. Not much happened with fishing currently. A few cod and ling were picked from the cold ocean, 30-some degrees. The boat’s website is being revamped for this season, and anglers will be able to follow the vessel’s fishing on a Facebook page that the Web master is preparing. The 46-foot Katie H features all the amenities and speed.

<b>Brielle</b>

Charters are starting to book up for the coming season on the <b>Big Kid</b>, Capt. Ken said. That includes spring striped bass trips, but fishing for cod and ling is available now aboard. Whenever anybody wants to fish, the boat is ready. Winter maintenance is already finished on the boat, and the vessel is already back in the waters, after being dry-docked a moment for the seasonal work.

A few striped bass were landed at Oyster Creek, said Eric from <b>The Reel Seat</b>. That’s the warm-water discharge from the Forked River power plant. A few cod and ling were picked from the ocean, “no great shakes,” he said. That was about all the fish reeled from cold waters this season. Catch a 40-percent discount on S&S bucktails. The store, moved to a new location this winter, will hold a grand opening on Saturday, April 5, featuring door prizes, tackle-manufacturer reps and more. The new location is 707 Union Avenue in Brielle. That’s Route 71, and the new store is 4,100 square feet, compared with 1,500 at the old shop.

<b>Point Pleasant Beach</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/13:***</b> Bottom-fishing sailed four days in a row, from Saturday through Tuesday, on the party boat <b>Dauntless</b>, Capt. Butch said. That was after the trips, scheduled daily, sailed less frequently this winter, because of demand. Too few anglers, a half-dozen, did show up for Wednesday’s trip to sail. A dozen are needed for a trip to go. Fishing was slow in the cold ocean, but mostly ling and sometimes cod were slung in. The fish that were caught were sizeable, though. Cod were cracked Saturday and Sunday aboard, probably a dozen keepers and a dozen throwbacks each day. Anglers probably bagged 2 to 15 fish apiece during the four trips. A couple of anglers bagged a number on the high end of that on Sunday and Monday. Trips fished deep in 180 to 220 feet, and no fish, not even bergals, would bite in colder waters closer to shore. The ocean on the fishing grounds was 36 or 37 degrees, and along the beach was 34. The Dauntless is bottom-fishing 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

<b>Toms River</b>

Throwback striped bass were sometimes caught and released at Oyster Creek, according to Mario from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>, Dennis from the store said. Mario worked at the shop during the weekend, and Dennis, the owner, did not, though Dennis worked at the store today, when he gave this report in a phone call. The creek is the warm-water discharge from the Forked River power plant, and the fish bit bloodworms and small Fin-S Fish. A few tried fishing on the Toms River during the weekend with worms, but no reports were heard back. Winter flounder season will be opened on Sunday, March 23, in two weekends, and customers will fish for them at places like the Toms and on Oyster Creek at first, before the flatfish migrate to Barnegat Bay then the ocean, as waters warm. In freshwater farther upstream on the Toms at Trilco, a few chain pickerel were nabbed on killies and a few white and yellow perch were nipped, mostly on worms along bottom. Trilco is a closed building supply, and no sign identifies the building, but locals know the stretch by the name, located near Garden State Parkway. Nothing was heard about trout fishing at places like even farther upstream on the Toms. Business was okay at the store during the weekend, in weather that warmed a little. Anglers lately also started telephoning the store. Bloodworms, fresh clams, salted clams, killies and garden worms are stocked. Shiners will probably arrive Saturday for the season. Dennis will open an additional store at the former Go Fish Bait & Tackle on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River, probably starting this Wednesday through Sunday. That will continue to be the store’s name.

<b>Barnegat Light</b>

<b>***Update, Thursday, 3/13:***</b> Capt. Ted from the <b>Super Chic</b> hopes trips aboard will start by late April for the season, he said. He’s getting the boat ready now, like hauling the vessel out for one of the inspections next week. Charters will probably start with wreck-fishing for cod or ling, before sailing for sea bass, when sea bass season is opened. Ted will try to schedule open-boat trips for tilefish offshore, maybe in late May, and in June or July. The open trips for tiles last year caught well. Waters were unusually cold this winter. Barnegat Bay wasn’t this cold in many years. The ocean dropped to the mid to upper 30s this winter, and, during the last few years, only dipped to the low 40s. Ted’s “crossing my fingers,” he said, that the cold will be good for fishing, like cold winters seem to be. Maybe the migration of fish will be somewhat better, like it used to be, when waters were colder. The 56-foot Super Chic can accommodate up to 25 anglers on inshore trips and 10 on overnight, offshore trips. The boat sleeps 10 passengers.

<b>Mystic Island</b>

Waters were 35 degrees, so no striped bass bit yet, a report on <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>’s website said Friday. Apparently, that temperature was at Graveling Point, and the store’s annual $100 gift certificate was yet to be won for the season’s first striped bass weighed-in from Graveling. That’s a shore-angling spot at the confluence of Great Bay and Mullica River that’s one of the state’s first places to give up stripers each year. The warmer river that meets the flats of the bay seems to attract the fish, and Graveling is simply a place that anglers can access that features favorable conditions. Waters need to reach 42 degrees for the year’s first stripers to chomp, the store’s Facebook page said. Nobody reported fishing for white perch on the Mullica or any of the creeks, the store’s website said. But live grass shrimp and bloodworms were stocked for bait for them.  <b>***Update, Thursday, 3/13:***</b> Things remained quiet, Maureen from the store said in a phone call. Not even white-perch fishing was heard about. Talk said perch might’ve been more active elsewhere. But no news about catches came from Graveling Point yet.

<b>Absecon</b>

The year’s first and second striped bass were checked-in Saturday and Sunday at <b>Absecon Bay Sportsman Center</b>, Capt. Dave, the store’s owner, wrote on the shop’s Facebook page. Richard Kutch hooked the first, an 11-pound 30-incher, on Saturday along the “Great Egg Harbor River system,” the page said, on a Bomber lure. “I guess that’s a lesson to you worm dunkers,” Dave said. “Lures work, too.” Local anglers often fish bloodworms for the season’s first stripers, because the bass, lethargic in cold waters, might be able to grab a worm easier than a lure. Kutch won the store’s annual $200 gift certificate for the first, and also the shop’s annual $100 certificate for the year’s first angler to stop by with a striper after “Liking” the store’s Facebook page, and “Going” to the page’s “Event” named for the contest. Adam Zahamarek weighed-in the second striper, a 19-pounder, on Sunday, after catching the fish Saturday night at Oyster Creek, the warm-water discharge at the Forked River power plant. He won the store’s $100 gift certificate for the second, and more prizes remained up for grabs at press time. See those at the end of this report. That fish was the year’s first legal-sized striper, 28 inches or larger, hooked at the creek that Dave knew about. Even the creek was cold after this cold winter. Some anglers on the Facebook page argued that the 19-pounder was probably snagged. Others argued against that, and one said he saw the fish caught, not snagged, on a Fin-S Fish. Dave on the page said he’s listened to fish stories a long time, and Zahamarek sounded credible to him. “I don’t know what to say,” Dave said. “So if you don’t have proof, I suggest we don’t try and make a good day bad.” Dave, a striper charter captain, said he talked with the angler more than an hour, and learned a lot about fishing for stripers. “Some things I never knew,” Dave said, “and some were confirmations of ideas I’ve formulated myself. Worth the price of a $100 gift certificate.” Besides these catches, there was “not a lot of fishing activity this weekend,” Dave wrote on the page. “But for the few who went, there were fish caught.” The store is open, but sometimes Dave is away briefly during this early season. Telephone ahead to confirm. The prizes that remain up for grabs for the year’s first stripers weighed-in at the store are: a $50 certificate for the third; a $100 certificate for the first larger than 20 pounds; and a $100 certificate for the first larger than 30. Kids’ prizes will also be awarded: a Sea Striker rod and reel combo for the first boy and girl age 12 or younger to catch and check-in a keeper striper. <b>***Update, Thursday, 3/13:***</b> White perch fishing seemed to “blow up” on warm days or afternoons, at least on Mullica River, Dave said in a phone call. But reports were heard about catches on Great Egg Harbor River, too. On the Mullica, big perch, and numbers not seen in years, pushed into shallows, seeming to look for something to eat. Clark’s Landing at the end of Hay Road was one place to land them from shore. Not a lot of places are available to fish from shore. The fish seemed to be moving upstream, and they will travel up with the full moon. The fishing was also good at Lower Bank Bridge, and the perch should swim up to Green Bank and Crowley’s Landing, Dave figured. Lots of small, 15- to 20-inch, occasionally larger, striped bass were mixed in. Only one keeper, weighed-in at Captain Howard’s, was heard about from the Mullica. The season’s first keeper at Absecon Bay Sportsman, reported above, came from the Egg Harbor River system. Lots of throwback stripers were around for catch-and-release fishing. All stripers heard about from the rivers were hooked on bait. None was reported caught on lures, but somebody will probably figure out how to connect with lures eventually. Perch gave up catches last year around this time, but the angling this year was better, for some reason. If anglers wanted to perch fish, now was the time. Most of the perch were bagged on bloodworms, and grass shrimp seemed to become scarce for bait. Dave couldn’t find them to net, and nobody showed up trying to sell them to the store. Plenty of bloodworms are stocked. Windy, cold weather today might slow the angling a little. But Saturday’s weather looks better.

<b>Brigantine</b>

Near <b>Riptide Bait & Tackle</b>, waters still needed to warm before catches really picked up, a report on the shop’s website said. That was like everywhere along the coast, but the shop’s Facebook page shared a photo of a striped bass that was bagged recently along Mullica River at Lower Bank on bloodworm. The page also mentioned the year’s first striper weighed-in at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center, covered in the report below, and other stripers read about that were caught at “double secret spots,” it said. Waters were 40 degrees around Brigantine, and the store is open daily. Passes are available at the store for $20 for the Fish for Life Tournament that runs from today until May 25. The Riptide Striper Bounty, awarded to the angler who weighs-in the season’s first striped bass 43 inches or larger from Brigantine’s surf, was never won last fall. So the money will be awarded this winter or spring. Entry is $5, and anglers must register at least 24 hours before entering a fish. Last spring, the bounty reached $2,005, and was won on May 27, with a 46-inch 32-pound striper. That prize was rolled over from fall, like this year’s. A $50 gift certificate will also be awarded to the angler who stops in with the year’s first keeper striper from Brigantine’s surf. Another will be awarded to the angler who comes in with the first keeper from a boat off Brigantine. No registration is necessary for those two prizes.

<b>Longport</b>

Capt. Mike from the <b>Stray Cat</b> scheduled no trips with anglers this past weekend, but steamed to the cod fishing grounds to scope out the waters Sunday, he said. The water was 40 degrees, up from 38 previously, and was gin clear. “Unbelievable,” he said about the clarity. He’ll try to put together open-boat trips for cod and pollock this coming Saturday and Sunday, fishing 30 miles from shore, and telephone to reserve.

<b>Ocean City</b>

A few white perch were heard about that were plucked far up Tuckahoe River near Tuckahoe, Bill from <b>Fin-Atics</b> said. Not one striped bass landed was heard about. The back bay was too cold for fish to bite. The waters were 35 degrees a couple of days ago, and maybe the bay will somewhat warm this week because of warmer weather. Fin-Atics is open daily, and frozen baits are stocked. Live and fresh baits will be carried when fishing picks up. Bloodworms will probably be some of the first.

<b>Sea Isle City</b>

The back bay needs to warm a little for striped bass fishing, said Capt. Joe Hughes from <b>Jersey Cape Guide Service</b> and <b>Sea Isle Bait & Tackle</b>. He’ll probably begin fishing for the bass in a couple of weeks. But South Jersey’s shallow back bays are some of the first to warm in the state, and Joe usually tackles his year’s first stripers there in March. By mid-April, his fishing becomes gangbusters in the bay. Bluefish and weakfish will arrive by then, and catch-and-release fishing for summer flounder will be good then. Joe’s trips catch all these species by then in the bay, and that’s some of the year’s best fishing. If anglers want to sail, they should figure out dates with him now. Dates for the year’s flounder season are yet to be announced, but the season is usually opened sometime in May. Trips will first hook stripers on soft-plastic lures on lead jigheads fished slowly along bottom. Places like creek mouths on outgoing tides in afternoons will fish best, because of warmer waters. Joe will also keep offering traveling charters to the Florida Keys until Easter, like he does every winter, starting at Christmas. This winter has been good for both the angling and the weather in Florida. Winter’s been warm there, despite the cold, snowy winter in the Northeast. See <a href="http://www.captainjoehughes.com/page3.html" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s traveling charters Web page</a>. Keep up with Joe’s fishing on <a href="http://captainjoehughes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Cape’s blog</a>.

<b>***Update, Tuesday, 3/11:***</b> <b>Fins and Feathers Outfitters</b> hunted snow geese Saturday along Delaware Bay, Capt. Jim said. Weather was beautiful in calm winds, flat seas and 52-degree air temperatures, but was too nice for the waterfowling. The birds “sat,” he said, and many were seen, but only three were bagged. Weather was rougher the previous Saturday, and nine of the geese were bagged, a good hunt, covered in the previous report. The birds were there this Saturday, but weren’t so interested in flying. Jim might take a break from the hunting this weekend, after a busy stretch of the guided trips previously. More clients want to hunt the geese the following weekend, and the season lasts to April 17. He might start steelhead fishing at the end of March on upstate New York’s Salmon River, where he hosts anglers from his lodge nearby. Fins and Feathers offers a variety of outdoor adventures. Fishing along New Jersey’s coast for Fins kicks off each year with striped bass charters on Delaware Bay and the ocean, usually in April. Black drum trips will sail Delaware Bay in May. Now is a good time to reserve either of that angling, while dates remain. Fins also fly-fishes for trout on Pennsylvania’s streams like the Yellow Breeches.

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